


world is sleeping (i'm awake with you)

by LiveLaughLovex



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28688139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: When Tim woke early that morning, it was to find the other half of his bed conspicuously empty.
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 8
Kudos: 92





	world is sleeping (i'm awake with you)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short little one. I know there've been a thousand different takes on Lucy's PTSD/nightmares after Caleb, but this came to me, so I decided to do my own little take on it. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Title, by the way, comes from John Legend's "Conversations in the Dark."

When Tim woke early that morning, it was to find the other half of his bed conspicuously empty. The sheets were warm, still, which told him Lucy hadn't left them long ago. The fact that she'd left them at all, though, concerned him. He tossed aside the sheets and pushed open the mostly-closed bedroom door, padding down the hall and pausing when he caught sight of Lucy sitting on his couch, her knees drawn up to her chest. She was watching a rerun of some old sitcom on the television, the brightness of the screen lighting up her face, and it was all Tim could do not to exhale audibly in relief when he caught sight of her, looking her over critically and concluding that, at least physically, she seemed to be in one piece. 

“Hi," he said, quietly enough as to not startle her. 

“Hi,” Lucy echoed dully, mustering up an unconvincing smile as she tilted her head back to rest against the sofa, staring up at Tim with wide, doe-like eyes. “It’s late.”

“It is,” he agreed quietly, running a hand down his face as he circled around the sofa and settled next to her. “I woke up, and you weren’t in bed.” He glanced down at her as she moved closer, her head falling to rest on his shoulder. “Nightmare?”

Lucy nodded silently. “I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“I wouldn’t have minded,” he told her honestly.

She smiled sadly. “I know. You deserve a good night’s sleep, though.”

“So do you,” he returned softly.

Her smile transformed into something bitter. “I know. There was no getting back to sleep after that, so I just… I figured one of us deserved to get some rest, is all.”

“You want to talk about it?” he questioned gently.

She laughed humorlessly. “Not much to talk about. It’s the same as always. I’m in a barrel, buried alive. I can’t move or…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “I used to think nothing would be as bad as living that the first time, and I was right, but reliving it once a week? Once a month?” She sniffled harshly. “It isn’t a picnic either, really.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured against her hair, meaning it.

“I know,” she muttered, turning so that her face was hidden against his shirt. “I know, but it’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault but, but Caleb’s. I just… I hate that it feels like he’s still got one over on me.”

“Lucy,” Tim said softly, fingers carding through her hair, “you survived. You beat him at his own game. I know what it feels like, to run from a memory you think you’ll never escape, but when it comes to Caleb, you won. He lost, and you won.”

“We won,” she corrected lightly, smiling fragilely at him as she pulled away slightly to stare up at him.

“Okay,” he allowed, laughing slightly, “ _we_ won.”

“Because I left the ring out there, but you spotted it,” she pointed out, not for the first time.

“I know, Lucy,” he nodded, wrapping his arms around her once more as she cuddled closer. “You've convinced me. It was a team effort.”

“Mm. Are you going to be mad if I fall asleep on you, right here, on this couch?” she questioned sleepily, eyes already half-closed. “'Cause I know I'm on top of you and all, so you should probably get a say, but I might actually fall asleep, soon, and I don't really want to move.”

“If this is where you want to sleep, then I've got no problem sleeping right here,” he assured her lightly.

“Your back’s going to hurt in the morning,” she warned him.

“Luce,” he murmured, arms tightening around her as his own eyes drifted shut, “I honestly could not care less.”

Less than three minutes later, they were both sound asleep.

(Lucy had been right. His back was killing him in the morning. The look on her face when he opened his eyes that morning, though, and the smile she flashed at him across the breakfast table, so bright and carefree, made the pain more than worth it.)


End file.
